1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to: an image processing apparatus such as a multi-function peripheral (MFP), i.e., a multifunctional digital machine; a portable terminal apparatus such as a smartphone or a tablet computer terminal; a recording medium storing a program for the image processing apparatus to execute processing; and a recording medium storing a program for the portable terminal apparatus to execute processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
In recent years, users can store digital documents on their portable information apparatuses such as smartphones and tablet computer terminals, and even view and edit the stored documents anytime and anywhere they like. After editing a document by their portable terminal apparatuses, users can transmit the document to an image processing apparatus such as an MFP to print by or store on the image processing apparatus. Users also can create a file consisting of image data or other data, by scanning a physical paper document with a scanner of the image processing apparatus, and transmit the file to their portable information apparatuses to edit by their portable information apparatuses.
However, users are bothered by the need to operate different screens on the image processing apparatus and the portable information apparatus, back and forth separately, which is quite troublesome.
As a solution to such a problem, there is a proposed cooperative system including an image processing apparatus and a portable terminal apparatus, which allows users to remotely access functions of the image processing apparatus from the portable terminal apparatus, through an operation screen of the image processing apparatus which is displayed as a remote screen on a display portion of the portable terminal apparatus. In this cooperative system, a remote screen of the image processing apparatus is displayed on the display portion of the portable terminal apparatus on the basis of screen data received from the image processing apparatus.
More specifically, the portable terminal apparatus transmits information indicating performed operations to the image processing apparatus; upon receiving the information, the image processing apparatus generates screen data and transmits it to the portable terminal apparatus; then the portable terminal apparatus displays or updates a remote screen on the basis of the screen data.
The portable terminal apparatus is provided with a touch panel; application icons representing various applications installed on the portable terminal apparatus are shown on the touch panel along with a remote screen of the image processing apparatus.
Furthermore, one or more file buttons each representing a document file stored on the image processing apparatus are shown on the remote screen; thus, users can activate an application to execute processing on a document file, by dragging a file button and dropping it onto an application icon on the remote screen.
However, such a drag-and-drop may cause a problem as described below.
On the remote screen of the image processing apparatus, which is displayed on the portable terminal apparatus, file processing buttons such as a print button, a transmit button, and a delete button are shown along with the file buttons. In many cases, the file processing buttons are arranged on an end of the remote screen in order to prevent erroneous operations; however, the file processing buttons may be arranged very close to the application icons of the portable terminal apparatus.
In such a case, when a user intends to drop a file button onto an application icon on the remote screen, the user may drop it onto a file processing button that is very close to the application icon on the remote screen, by mistake; reversely, when a user intends to drop a file button onto a file processing button, the user may drop it onto an application icon that is very close thereto, by mistake. This causes a problem that wrong processing is executed despite the user's intention. Furthermore, while a fingertip is on a file processing button, a file button may overlap an application icon; in such a case, it may be wrongly judged that the user drops it onto the application icon.
Such a problem as described above tends to be caused especially if the portable terminal apparatus has a small size of display screen.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-058839 suggests a technique to reduce the risk of erroneous operations by detecting the number of icons touched by user and enlarging or reducing the icons on the display; and thus users can easily select among them.
However, the portable terminal apparatus is not allowed to control the position of file processing buttons on a remote screen of the image processing apparatus which is displayed on the portable terminal apparatus; therefore, the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-058839 does not bring a solution to the problem of erroneous operations, which may be caused when a user intends to drop a file button onto a file processing button on the remote screen or onto an application icon of the portable terminal apparatus.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.